Kong Youde (Chinese: 孔有德; pinyin: Kǒng Yǒudé; Manchu: ᡴᡠᠩ ᡳᡠᠣ ᡩᡝ; Transliteration of Manchu: kung ioo de; died August 7, 1652)[1] was a Chinese adventurer and Ming dynasty military officer who served under the warlord Mao Wenlong until Mao's death in 1629.
When ordered by Sun to reinforce Zu Dashou at the Battle of Dalinghe in 1631, Kong and Geng mutinied, pillaging the countryside, sacking Dengzhou, and subsequently defecting to the Later Jin dynasty—in 1633.
In an effort to unify Ming forces on the northern frontier under a single command structure, general Yuan Chonghuan trapped and executed Mao Wenlong in 1629.
Although Yuan had hoped to recruit Mao's followers into the regular Ming army, some including Kong Youde and Geng Zhongming refused to join him.
Kong Youde and Geng Zhongming had close relationship, some historical sources indicate that they were sworn brothers, both of them left instead for Dengzhou to work for Sun Yuanhua.
Sun was allowed to leave unharmed, but was subsequently executed for desertion after arriving at the Ming capital of Beijing.
Kong Youde continued fighting against Southern Ming forces throughout the 1640s as the Qing dynasty consolidated its control over China proper, notably in Hunan and Guangxi.